The Newspaper Proprietors’ Association (NPAN) has described the death of the publisher and Chairman, Leadership Newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah devastating and painful.
The association said the loss was made more painful because Nda-Isaiah was not only a colleague but a friend to all in the industry.
In a statement signed by the newly elected President and Secretary of the association, Malam Kabiru A. Yusuf and Mohammed Idris respectively, NPAN noted that the deceased publisher’s commitment to the values and objectives of the association was unflagging to the very end.
The statement read:
CONDOLENCE ON THE PASSING OF OUR DEAR COLLEAGUE AND FRIEND, SAM NDA-ISAIAH
“The nation woke up this morning with the startling news of the death of one of the key investors in the Nigerian media, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, the Chairman and Publisher of Leadership Group of Newspapers. For us in the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), this huge loss is even more devastating and painful because Sam was not only a colleague but a friend to all in the industry.
“His commitment to the values and objectives of the association was unflagging to the very end; he was together with the rest of us only last week in Lagos, when elections into the national executive council of the NPAN were held, and Sam was elected as an ex-officio member.
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“Sam Nda-Isaiah has left indelible footprints in the annals of the Nigerian media. He started as a publisher right away with Leadership Confidential, a subscription-based monthly newsletter which, in 2004, he transformed into Leadership, a gutsy, stylish weekly newspaper that caught the eye of Nigerians as soon as it hit the newsstands.
“As a popular columnist, Sam told the truth to power. His style was brash, bare-knuckle and unapologetic. For his constancy in that, he was mostly regarded as patriotic.
“His desire to transform his beliefs into policy made him to make a foray into party politics where he ran for president in the 2015 general elections. Politics made him to drop his column but the general direction of his newspapers was consistent with what he had been writing.
“The NPAN will sorely miss Sam as an active member and for his immense contribution to the development of journalism in Africa.
We wish to console his dear wife Zainab and their children, as well as his extended family, friends and admirers with the fact that Sam’s concrete contributions to the development of this country in particular and the continent in general are visible and appreciated.
“May his soul rest in peace, amen.”
